April 2023 Mailbag
Thanks to H Steve Cook for another of his wonderful Australian Stamp Posters which I know will thrill our Julie as aircraft are one of her loves. Steve worked in the postal industry retiring as a Postal Manager after serving 46 years helping to deliver the mail.
Steve - The ordinary mail service has become so slow I think we need you back in there helping to push those letters along a little faster!
But we know Steve as an art collector especially of the Hermannsburg painters and also a painter in his own right. Here is a sample of Steve's paintings of the Australian outback done in the Hermannsburg style.
And from the Australian outback we move to India and welcome a new follower Soumitra Das who has sent in this lovely painting for us to appreciate. Thank you Soumitra for sharing your work and we are looking forward to seeing more of this exquisite detail.
We have also received from opposite ends of the world two responses to Julie's post on Good Friday
Mary in Ireland wrote in to say:
Lovely post from Julie today re Good Friday and associated traditions.
Certainly we marked Ash Wednesday and Good Friday in our corner of South East Ireland as a family by observing the one small meal and two collation rule. Hence no snacks between meals and nothing with the last cup of tea with the nine o clock news! Although the very young and elderly were exempt.
Finnan Haddie or smoked haddock was our fish of choice with parsley sauce and potato. Not smoked cod which is more associated with a visit to a chipper/chip shop.
I don't remember hot cross buns being that popular growing up but they are very prevalent and popular now. We did have a simnel cake every Easter.
And then from Maureen in Birchip, Victoria, Australia comes:
Very interesting history of hot cross buns. Also remember learning that the buns can also represent the cave/tomb that Jesus was buried in and the fruit represents the followers who hid away after his death. I read that a couple of times too but cannot remember where. It was in a Childrens’ religion book I think. Another book said that the fruit was to represent Jesus in the tomb and the hiding of Easter eggs was for a similar meaning. I imagine they are both modern meanings for kids to help explain the whole Easter story.
Thank you Mary and Maureen for your emails and information which I am sure we all find very interesting especially as the customs can be so similar yet so different around the world.
And Tendai in South Africa got into painting Easter Eggs on a wall!!
Back in Australia the Roving Reporter "D" in Central Victoria was able to report in from the Golden Dragon Museum that Bendigo's new Imperial Dragon Dai Gum Loong was able to go out on his first solo parade after several years delay due to the pandemic and then inclement weather on the day of last year's procession.1
And now back to India where our friends and constant followers Soumya Kundu and Koyushik Maity have sent in new works. First Soumya's latest watercolour painting...
And then Koushiki's latest works...
It is interestingly how both have created images of a young couple but in totally different styles. And that is what is wonderful about art... there are so many different ways you can see the world and here on the blog we love appreciating all the different interpretations that artists create.
If you are a FB follower you can find Soumya Kundu by clicking here and Koushiki Maity by clicking here.
Rowdy Wylie has also been busy - he is on a road trip from South Australia across the New South Wales, over the the Australian Capital Territory and back home through Victoria. He travelled through Parkes in New South Wales - home to the famous CSIRO Parkes Observatory as shown below.
And they also passed through the quaint town of West Wyalong NSW and as Rowdy said in his email: I immediately recognized the main street of historic buildings & thought… I haven’t been here before but the magnificent character of the old buildings looked soooo familiar!!! Of course.. they were the “street scenes” from Artist - Clarrie Cox’s amazing paintings in his books…. A wonderful town… so much history to be valued… the shop front “joinery” of windows & doors were incredible….
If you haven't see the posts on the building paintings by Clarie Cox plese follow the bookmark links below.
Anne Newman
Anne Newman
Anne Newman
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
There was a small computer accident the other day resulting in my secretary losing the blog schedule which also contained all the ideas for posts which some of you have been sending in. I haven't sacked the secretary as she does a remarkable job for a greyhound but I have put her onto less important tasks!!
If you sent in a possible idea for a post and don't see it in the next couple of weeks - please resend it!!
Maureen in Birchip - I have remembered your info on Cyrus Dallin the celebrated American sculptor, educator, and Indigenous rights advocate and so a complete post on his works coming up very soon but let's conclude today with one of his wonderful works.
Credit
1. Facebook page for Lost Axedale, Bendigo and Country Victoria